Illusion
by ohnobye
Summary: It's five years after Ezra Fitz's death. Married to Noel with two kids, Aria thinks her life is finally settled. But as Ezra's fifth anniversary of death approaches, Aria begins to see him everywhere again, and people start to think she's crazy. How can a dead man be alive?


Chapter 1

~Aria's Point of View~

_It took me all I had to breathe again. I closed my eyes, letting multiple tears fall down. My cheeks were already soaking wet from like thirty seconds of crying. "Sweetie, it's okay, it's going to be okay," I hear Alison's voice whisper. She hugs me from behind, but I know she doesn't understand. No one does. I don't care that he's evil, I love him anyways. I love him. I shouldn't have yelled at him and broken up with him when I found out he's A! I don't even care anymore. I want to touch him and kiss him again._

_"I know how you feel," Spencer tells me. Yeah right, no you don't! She may know the feeling, but she doesn't know how it feels to realize she has to live with it. She got her fairy tale ending. Toby wasn't dead like she thought. But my Ezra is dead. And evil. Spencer got a Toby that's alive and good. Different radars!_

_"9-1-1, we have a code red, I repeat code red, man down."_

**FIVE YEARS LATER**

"What do you want for breakfast, honey?" Noel asks, walking into my bedroom. "I can bring you bed in breakfast." I smile at him, and finally sit up. "You've been sleeping a lot lately. What's up?" I sigh and check the date on my phone. Tomorrow is the fifth anniversary of_ his_ funeral. "I took Clara and Michael to school. You wanna talk about what's bugging you?"

I shake my head. "Nothing. Tomorrow's just the day that... you know... he died. Well, actually, today's the day he died. Tomorrow's the fifth anniversary of his funeral." Noel never likes it when I talk about him, and I can see why. He's my ex-boyfriend.

"Oh, okay," he says, his ice blue eyes fading in color. "So, how does cereal sound? Or are you more in the mood for some oatmeal?"

"No, cereal sounds good," I say with a smile. "Hey. Come here." He smiles as he walks towards me. I peck his lips, just to assure him that what happened with Ezra doesn't matter anymore. It's been years. I should have let go by now, anyways. "I love you, Noel."

"I love you, too, Aria," he says, and walks to the kitchen. "But, you've got morning breath." I giggle and start walking to the bathroom to brush my teeth. He calls out, "Breakfast will be ready in ten minutes!"

After approximately ten minutes, Noel calls me downstairs for breakfast. He made bacon, eggs, and cereal, like I just asked for. I eat up, and glance at the clock. I have work soon.

"I should get dressed," I say. "I almost forgot that I have work."

He sighs and nods, "Yeah, me too. I'll get going in a bit. I'll pick up Clara and Michael from school if you want me to."

"What? You dropped them. I'll pick them up," I say. He smiles and nods. I put my cereal bowl in the sink, as well as the plate and utensils I used to eat my bacon and eggs. "Thank you for breakfast, babe." I kiss his lips gently before walking to the bathroom. I change into more appropriate attire for teaching a classroom full of students.

I just can't believe that it's been five years since the night he was killed. I still remember seeing his bloody body lying on the floor. I remember A shooting him with a wicked gun. It kills me inside. He wasn't A, but he knew Alison. He was some form of evil. I know I shouldn't care about his death, since was playing me as a fool, but I can't help it. I don't know if he loved me, but I truly loved him.

I need to get over it, though! Now, I have everything. I'm married. I have an amazing husband that loves me. I have two kids. Two adorable, brilliant kids! I'm Aria Kahn, not Aria Montgomery. I'm not the Aria that fell in love with Ezra. That was a different me. I'm done with him. Well, of course, out of all due respect, I'll visit his grave on the anniversary of his funeral, which is tomorrow. But... but that's out of respect!

"Babe, I'm heading out to work!" I call. He nods his head as I walk out the door of our house. I have to remember to pick up the kids on my way home. They're only four years old, but they're amazing. They're twins, and I love them. Before graduation of high school, I started seeing Noel again to clear my head from the events of Ezra, which happened the December before, and I got pregnant right before college.

I do my usual job—teach the rowdy high school students. Five years ago, I was here. I was a student. I wonder if I was like that.

"Mrs. Kahn, I can't believe you gave me a C+ on my essay!" a kid named Jack yells. "Why would you do this to me?"

"Jack, I gave you the grade you deserve," I say. "I have to go home now. If you want to keep talking about your grade, we can talk tomorrow before class. Have a nice day." I lock the classroom door, and sigh in frustration as I walk to the parking lot. I see my car parked. Ugh, now I have to go pick up my kids.

I open the door of my car. I turn around to pick up the brief case full of papers I have to grade this week. Life is looking sucky this week. When I turn around... he's standing there. What. The. Fuck.

"Ezra!" I scream.

"Hello, Aria," he says. I swear, I swear on my life, he's there, and he's smirking at me. I blink fast to make sure I'm not crazy, but apparently I am, because he's not there when I open my eyes. Maybe I'm just imagining things. That's got to be it.

Yeah, that's got to be it.


End file.
